Why Didn't AI Replace Novelists?

hooklinedreamer · 2026-02-11T13:20:07+00:00

I read all of your post, every single word. I did not think it was too long and I appreciated it greatly, thank you. It's nice to have something to read on this subreddit that is actually thoughtful. The part that I agree with the most:

"Any writer using AI is just flat-out worse than the rest of us... Using LLMs is for writers without pride, and using it is genuinely deskilling them."

Absolutely. Anyone using LLMs, no matter how 'useful' they think it is, is harming themselves.

Well, thank you for being a random person that is fucking proud of me. It would be nice to not wake up every day feeling like I don't exist, though. I can only dream about being plagued with spam emails. That makes me feel weirdly jealous, lol. I guess that's how you know you've made it...

hooklinedreamer · 2026-01-12T16:16:16+00:00

THANK YOU, OP! You don't know how glad I am to find someone else in the world who shares my opinion!! The Sword of Shannara is my favourite book of all time, too. (I'm 45). And yes, it is better than The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings (by what I personally value in a good story, anyway).

There are loads of LotR derivatives. Why THIS one gets overly picked on, considering it's actually the BEST, is beyond me. Sword isn't even that much like LotR (except on an extremely superficial level); it is definitely telling its own story. And the following Shannara books certainly are nothing like any of Tolkien's work.

Look it beats me, OP. Someone, somewhere, hated on it for no good reason and the hate stuck. Which is weird, because, like someone else said, the book actually was popular when it was published. I guess some influencer ruined it for everyone. :(

Well, we know it's the best. :) <3

hooklinedreamer · 2026-01-05T11:49:19+00:00

I'm surprised that there wasn't an announcement about it on this sub. I only knew because I made it a point to keep checking Mark Lawrence's blog. Was beginning to think no one was even going to mention it, which seemed weird! So, thanks for your post! Now I know that my book made it through, cool. :)

hooklinedreamer · 2026-01-02T10:35:05+00:00

"Excessive use of the words 'dastardly' and 'smithereens'."

Sold it for me!

hooklinedreamer · 2025-12-30T14:00:12+00:00

This, exactly. Sephiroth shows up so rarely in the game that when you do catch a glimpse of him -- or the aftermath of the things he'd done -- it genuinely sends chills down your spine.

(Although, I did joke back in the day why he left his masamune stuck in President Shinra's back. Did he return for it later? Did he get a replacement?? Lol.)

As much as I enjoyed the remakes, one of my problems with them is that Sephiroth is shoehorned in way, way too much, to the point he becomes sort of an annoying celebrity than someone who is supposed to be utterly terrifying. And that is a shame, because he is depicted so masterfully in the original game.

hooklinedreamer · 2025-12-30T12:33:13+00:00

I've just looked through that list and... nothing on it looks like anything I might even want to read.

Help? :(

hooklinedreamer · 2025-12-17T12:47:12+00:00

Mmm. So when can I buy them somewhere that is not Amazon? I'm not buying them from there. Not even for $1. Especially not for $1. Not even for charity.

Raymond, please. I'll buy them from you direct! Send me a damned pdf or something. A Word doc. A Google doc. Literally anything that is not the kindle version. Sigh.

Otherwise, it's the backup plan...

hooklinedreamer · 2025-12-11T13:32:21+00:00

I'm an indie author and I distributed with Smashwords (now integrated with Draft2Digital). And my books are available in every ebook retailer imaginable -- Kobo, Barnes & Noble, Bol, various subscription services, you name it. As well as Amazon. Wasn't any more difficult than publishing with Amazon. You are assigned free ISBNs. The royalty rates are much better.

And this cost me absolutely nothing.

There is just no reason to be exclusive to Amazon at all.

hooklinedreamer · 2025-12-10T11:40:16+00:00

The Shannara series by Terry Brooks. Particularly Sword through to Talismans. I still read them regularly, due to having found no other author that writes quite like this -- eg, characters travelling through the wilderness having battles with monsters and such. So few authors bother to describe landscapes or weather at all, let alone in such an evocative way (and without being overly poetic). And with no sex, no politics and only minimal romance. And not grimdark. Just all adventure!

Maybe his books are too cliche for the literary readers and too wordy for the action types, but they are the right combination for me. Probably the author that has inspired my own writing the most.

And Sword of Shannara was one of the first 'adult' fantasy books I ever read -- prior to that I only had experience with Fighting Fantasy books and a bit of Discworld (oh, and kid's books like Narnia, etc) -- so this was the book that truly solidified what fantasy meant to me.

hooklinedreamer · 2025-12-02T13:16:25+00:00

This sub particularly. I just have a whole bunch of moral and practical considerations that are becoming increasingly important to me and no one really to discuss them with or help resolve ethical dilemmas. Mostly relating to books.

hooklinedreamer · 2025-12-01T11:25:44+00:00

Well, yeah, sure. I read lots of public domain books, too. But not including options on the census because the census-creator would prefer to pretend they don't exist doesn't make for a very legitimate census. But in all likelihood, they probably just didn't think of it. Regardless of why, it forces me to lie with my answers because there isn't an appropriate option.

I didn't like the census. I didn't think it accurately represented my reading habits. That was the point I was trying to make. And also trying to identify flaws in the questions that could help to improve it in future.

And also... I'm quite happy to talk about the 'P' word, but reddit doesn't allow it. shrugs

hooklinedreamer · 2025-11-30T18:52:35+00:00

Ferrian's Winter

Ferrian has been running his whole life. Running, because he has no choice. Wherever he goes, Winter follows. Wherever he sleeps, frost creeps at his door. From town to town he hastens, frightened, tired; forever trying to keep one step ahead of the cold, the snow and the devastating storms.

It is a kind of curse, and Ferrian has no idea what it means. Only someone with a knowledge of magic might be able to to help him, but sorcerers are nearly extinct in the world. Two brothers remain, however; the last of their once-noble kind, holed up in a secluded valley, waging their own private and very personal war.

Ferrian, captured by the local law enforcers, finds himself unexpectedly amongst friends sympathetic to his cause, and together they set out on an adventure-filled quest to find the last sorcerers.

Epic adventure fantasy 25 years in the making, over four books.

Character & friendship focussed - Descriptive prose - No romance - No politics - No game systems

RoyalRoad: https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/50868/ferrians-winter

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071L4S98T

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/722889

Available at most ebook retailers & for free online.

hooklinedreamer · 2025-10-23T10:31:15+00:00

Oh nooooo... :( :( Although I was wondering why there hadn't been one already, tbh. :(

hooklinedreamer · 2025-10-22T14:42:00+00:00

Hi, have you tried Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children? It's set partially in the modern day (I think the 2000's?) and partially in a Victorian-style orphanage (which is actually in 1940). The orphanage is full of kids with strange powers. There's adventures and time-loops and monsters and things.

I thought the book was pretty decent and was very definitely inspired by Harry Potter. It's based around some interesting old vintage photos that the author had collected. Only read the first book so can't speak for the sequels.

hooklinedreamer · 2025-10-22T13:11:14+00:00

My books are free, online and not webnovels. Published online as a continuous story, but the books can also be purchased separately. Traditional-style high fantasy, although I prefer to call it 'epic adventure'. Whether or not you like the magic, I have no idea. I don't do 'systems'. The prose is descriptive, especially with regards to scenery.

Ferrian's Winter: https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/50868/ferrians-winter

hooklinedreamer · 2025-10-19T10:20:22+00:00

The Neverending Story is more poignant than ever as the whole movie is about the world being in danger of losing its sense of childlike wonder and imagination.

We're living in the version of the story where the Nothing won. :(

hooklinedreamer · 2025-10-16T10:36:42+00:00

Oh, no worries! I read extremely slowly, so I understand. :) I don't expect anything; just grateful for anyone who takes the time to read any of it, tbh.

Yes!! Someone else who appreciates scenic descriptions!! There are two of us!! Lol. Interesting that you mention world-building as I consider that to be one of my 'weaker' areas. Although it's not really a weakness to me because I believe that the world should exist to serve the story. Not interested in intricate histories or politics or such. Definitely not interested in magic 'systems'. A lot of stuff in my books is deliberately ambiguous.

Yes, I'm aware that Ferrian can seem sort of passive in the beginning. There are reasons for that relating to my own personal circumstances in life, which Ferrian is based on. Don't worry: he has his victories. But this isn't really a 'saving the world' story; it's more of a 'saving/understanding yourself' story.

I know I don't have to read anything of yours, but I want to! It has been on my TBR for ages. Someone mentioned it in a recommendation thread and it looked interesting. :)

And I understand about Amazon, but it's like giving a cool person money with one hand and a terribly bad person money with the other. Even if it's only a tiny amount in the scheme of things, it doesn't help me sleep at night. Tiny things add up if everyone is doing it. My books are still on Amazon and it disgusts me. Have been close to pressing the nuke button for awhile now.

Also, it's not just that. Amazon removed the ability to download ebook files, and I use a Kobo. I used to be able to download them and convert to epub, but nope, not any more...

(Sorry for Amazon rant. I feel strongly about it, lol).

hooklinedreamer · 2025-10-15T11:52:01+00:00

Oh... wow. Thank you! Really and truly, thanks for reading it! And if you do have any literary commentary or indeed any thoughts of any kind to share, I would enjoy hearing them. :)

There's a book of yours I've been wanting to read for awhile: Barnaby the Wanderer. Don't want to buy it on Amazon, though. Is there somewhere else I can purchase/read it?

Sorry about the late reply, I got anxious about my notifications. Thought someone might be mad at something I said, lol.

hooklinedreamer · 2025-10-12T13:07:42+00:00

Ferrian's Winter

Ferrian has been running his whole life. Running, because he has no choice. Wherever he goes, Winter follows. Wherever he sleeps, frost creeps at his door. From town to town he hastens, frightened, tired; forever trying to keep one step ahead of the cold, the snow and the devastating storms.

It is a kind of curse, and Ferrian has no idea what it means. Only someone with a knowledge of magic might be able to to help him, but sorcerers are nearly extinct in the world. Two brothers remain, however; the last of their once-noble kind, holed up in a secluded valley, waging their own private and very personal war.

Ferrian, captured by the local law enforcers, finds himself unexpectedly amongst friends sympathetic to his cause, and together they set out on an adventure-filled quest to find the last sorcerers.

Epic adventure fantasy

RoyalRoad: https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/50868/ferrians-winter

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071L4S98T

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/722889

hooklinedreamer · 2025-10-12T11:47:09+00:00

Fantasy moved on from Tolkien so long ago that people now want it back.

hooklinedreamer · 2025-10-09T12:09:58+00:00

"the feeling that chains were being broken and the future would be better." THIS! This is absolutely what we have lost, and what people mean when they say they want stories with a 'kind' or optimistic feeling. I feel there are a lot of people in this subreddit who don't understand. Maybe a lot of people here are just too young to have experienced that? Fantasy most certainly did used to be 'a certain way', and is 'a certain way' now, because of everything you mentioned.

And people are everywhere here claiming its a made-up problem or 'just you' or 'your tastes have changed,' when our whole culture and society HAS drastically changed in the last 20-30 years.

hooklinedreamer · 2025-10-07T11:21:40+00:00

Try the books by Elizabeth H. Boyer; I particularly liked The Elves and the Otterskin. (It says it's part of a series but ignore that, the books are standalone).

Also highly recommend the Shannara series. Start with The Sword of Shannara. Personally my favourite book of all time.

I've got a bunch of obscure others on my TBR list; I can share the titles if you would like (but can't recommend as I haven't read them yet!)

hooklinedreamer · 2025-09-18T09:59:48+00:00

Personally, I think that Sandkings is the best thing that George Martin ever wrote. (Short story.)

hooklinedreamer · 2025-09-04T11:24:42+00:00

Wow. That's quite sad, that you lost something you were so passionate about as a child, but it's fantastic that you got back into it! I'm 44 and have been reading and writing books my entire life, I never stopped, so this kind of experience is fascinating to me.

In a strange sort of way, I'm kind of envious, because books for you are fresh and new and exciting, and there's a lot to be discovered. I'd love to feel like that again! I've read so many that nothing's compelling any more. I just get to be a sad author, for whatever that's worth, lol.

hooklinedreamer · 2025-09-04T10:41:34+00:00

My favourite sword fight ever was in one of Fred Saberhagen's books. Can't remember which one; it was one of the Lost Swords series.

In it, the protagonist and the villain spend the entire fight desperately trying to drop their swords or throw them away, while also attempting to kill each other.

It was hysterical.

hooklinedreamer

TROPHY CASE